Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

Companies that focus on DEI not only perform better and innovate more, but they also see higher employee engagement and satisfaction. Building an inclusive workplace starts at the very first stage of employee interaction - the recruitment process. Here are in-depth strategies to help job boards and recruiters attract and hire a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Setting goals for your overall recruitment and DEI strategy

Before we delve into some of our DEI strategies, it’s essential we understand the importance of setting goals in order to correctly measure and report on our efforts. By establishing specific, measurable objectives, you create a structured approach to ensuring diversity across all levels of your organisation. Representation goals help focus your efforts on increasing the presence of underrepresented groups in key roles and departments, ensuring that your workforce reflects a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. These goals should align with your company’s broader DEI values, aiming for sustainable progress rather than simply meeting quotas.

1. Write Inclusive Job Descriptions

Job descriptions serve as the first touchpoint for potential candidates, and the language used can significantly influence who applies. Research shows that certain words and phrases, such as "aggressive" or "ninja," can discourage women and other underrepresented groups from applying. To ensure your job ads attract a diverse range of applicants, avoid gendered language, industry-specific jargon, and terms that may unconsciously exclude certain groups.

Actionable Tips:

Use gender-neutral language (e.g., "salesperson" instead of "salesman").
Focus on the core competencies and skills needed for the role, rather than specific qualifications that may discourage capable candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
Highlight your company’s commitment to DEI with a statement on your inclusive culture and values. This can encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply, knowing that your organisation values diversity.

2. Expand Your Sourcing Channels

Relying solely on traditional recruitment methods can limit your talent pool to a homogenous group of candidates. To reach a broader range of applicants, diversify where you promote your job openings. Specialised job boards that cater to underrepresented communities, such as women in tech or veterans, can connect you with a more varied pool of candidates. You should also consider partnering with a recruiter who can actively incorporate DEI processes and reporting.

Actionable Tips:

Partner with diversity-focused job boards and platforms (e.g. Pink Jobs, Disability Job Exchange).
Attend career fairs, networking events, and conferences that promote diversity. Sponsoring or participating in events like Women in STEM or LGBTQ+ job fairs can help you reach diverse candidates.
Leverage partnerships with non-profit organisations, universities, and professional associations that support underrepresented groups in the workforce.

3. Implement Blind Recruitment Methods

Unconscious biases can creep into the hiring process, often based on factors like a candidate’s name, photo, or educational background. Blind recruitment techniques aim to reduce these biases by anonymising certain details, allowing recruiters to focus solely on skills and qualifications.

Actionable Tips:

Use software that automatically removes identifying details such as names, gender, ethnicity, and even educational institutions from resumes before they are reviewed.
Encourage hiring teams to evaluate candidates based solely on objective criteria, such as their work experience and relevant skills, before considering any additional background details.
Blind screening can also extend to other stages of the hiring process, such as conducting initial assessments via anonymous coding tests or work samples to ensure objectivity.

4. Provide Unconscious Bias Training

Even with the best intentions, everyone has biases—often unconscious—that can affect hiring decisions. Providing comprehensive training on unconscious bias helps ensure that recruiters and hiring managers recognise and mitigate these biases, resulting in fairer recruitment practices.

Actionable Tips:

Conduct regular training sessions on unconscious bias for everyone involved in the hiring process. This includes recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers.
Incorporate role-playing and scenario-based exercises to make the training more interactive and practical. These exercises can help participants identify their own biases and practise more equitable decision-making.
Offer continuous learning opportunities, such as refresher courses or follow-up workshops, to maintain awareness and foster a culture of inclusivity.

5. Standardise the Interview Process

A structured and consistent interview process can help reduce bias and ensure that all candidates are evaluated based on the same criteria. Standardising interview questions and assessments ensures that each applicant has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications.

Actionable Tips:

Develop a standardised set of interview questions tailored to the specific role and ensure that each candidate is asked the same core questions.
Use scorecards to evaluate candidates based on objective criteria, such as problem-solving ability, communication skills, or technical knowledge. This helps keep the focus on job-related competencies.
Incorporate diverse interview panels that include team members from various backgrounds. Diverse panels bring different perspectives, which can help identify the best candidate based on a broader range of considerations.

6. Set DEI Hiring Goals

Setting measurable DEI goals can help drive accountability in your recruitment efforts. These goals should be aligned with your company’s broader mission and values and should focus on sustainable progress rather than just hitting quotas.

Actionable Tips:

Define specific, measurable DEI goals such as increasing the percentage of women in leadership roles or improving racial diversity in technical positions.
Track key metrics such as the diversity of your applicant pool, interviewees, and new hires, and use this data to identify gaps or areas for improvement.
Regularly review and adjust your goals based on the progress your organisation is making. Be flexible and open to revising strategies to better meet your DEI objectives.

7. Build an Inclusive Employer Brand

Your employer brand should authentically reflect your organisation’s commitment to DEI. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are more likely to apply to companies where they feel welcomed and valued. Building an inclusive brand that showcases your company’s culture and values is key to attracting these candidates.

Actionable Tips:

Share success stories from diverse employees and highlight their contributions on your career page and social media platforms. This can give potential candidates a better understanding of how your company values diversity.
Ensure that your marketing materials (videos, images, blog posts) reflect diversity in race, gender, and other identities. Potential candidates want to see themselves represented in your organisation.

8. Collect Feedback and Continuously Improve

After each recruitment cycle, it’s essential to gather feedback from candidates—whether they were hired or not—and new employees to better understand their experience. This feedback can offer valuable insights into any potential barriers or areas where your recruitment process can improve.

Actionable Tips:

Send out surveys or conduct interviews with candidates and new hires to learn about their experience throughout the hiring process. Pay attention to any feedback regarding inclusivity, fairness, or potential areas of bias.
Use the feedback to adjust your hiring practices, ensuring that you continually improve the experience for all candidates.
Regularly review your recruitment strategies to identify any obstacles that may deter diverse applicants and find ways to eliminate them.

Building a diverse and inclusive workforce requires an intentional and sustained effort throughout the recruitment process. By implementing these strategies, your organisation will not only attract a more diverse range of talent, but it will also foster a culture where all employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. As your business evolves, committing to DEI in every facet of recruitment will lead to a stronger, more innovative, and successful future.